Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1909 edition. Excerpt: ...Mayor of the city of New York. Landon M. Bostwick, one of the foremost business men of Centralia, Illinois, was born December 1, 1862. He received his early education in the public schools and afterward was instructed in the higher branches by a private tutor, the course of study including some travel. The death of the subject's father made it necessary for him to give up study and seek means of self-support, which he found in the looomotive department of the Michigan Central Railroad, becoming an engineer at the early age of nineteen years. While serving in the capacity of fireman and engineer, he took a course in mechanical mathematics and draughting, and otherwise fitted himself for work other than locomotive engineering. At the age of twenty-four he designed and built the machinery plant at the Michigan State prison at Jackson, Michigan, which, at this writing, twenty-two years after completion, is still in active service with practically no alteration or change. After acting as manager of this plant for one year, Mr. Bostwick was offered, and accepted, a position as engineer on the Panama Canal, when it was owned by the French government, and was being constructed by the famous French engineer De Lesseps; but by a curious turn of fortune's wheel, Mr. Bostwick gave up the Panama Canal project, while enroute and also the mechanical line of business in which he had so successfully launched. At this time the South was just beginning to be called upon to take the place of the North in supplying lumber, and Mr. Bostwick grasped an opportunity to become a lumberman, making his initial beginning in the backwoods of Howell county, Missouri. The pay was poor and the work was hard, but opportu nity had knocked at the door and the...